Hurricane Irma 2017

I'm definitely scoring points in my effort to keep in touch with family for my New Year's Resolutions because I've heard from relatives I usually only chat with at funerals and holidays due to this massive "monster" hurricane barreling our way. Hurricane Irma, moseying through the Atlantic as a category five, is going to hit Florida. The question is which part of Florida after most likely hitting the southern tip. East? West? Middle? Those are the three trajectories and since the hurricane isn't scheduled to hit for a couple more days we wait. And worry.

I heard of the storm sometime before Labor Day, but here in Florida storms are part of our life and nothing to get fired up about until it's time, and so I didn't even think a thing about it. I spent Labor Day in the Gulf of Mexico hanging out with a visiting friend and family. We spent four and a half hours in the water talking and floating and playing. Then we dried off and went to dinner and later played cards. I went to bed tired and happy and found out about the hurricane the next morning as I made my coffee and spotted the paper. Yikes!

"We're the state that's constantly trying to kill us," says Tampa Bay Times environmental reporter Craig Pittman. "We're the state with sinkholes, shark bites, alligators and lightning. And we get hit by hurricanes." (cite). So. Very. True. 

Every year I think that this will be the year that I start out prepared, and every year that never happens. Yet, I've never had trouble getting what I needed. Until Irma. By the time I was aware, bottled water was gone. Gone. The shelves were empty in every store that sold water, and believe me, my friend and I spent Tuesday driving around for two hours with two rambunctious kids in the backseat searching for it.

We even checked in with stores like Staples and the Dollar Store. Anywhere there might be water, but we were too late. We went back to stores when they told us a shipment would be coming in. We stood in lines. Nothing. No water. Anywhere.

Tom: "We have tap water. What do you think is going to happen to the ground water?"

My husband never freaks out over storms. He isn't concerned at all about the house, or us, or anything. He has to be on call as a government employee and most likely will be hunkered down in the underground command center.

Tom: "They informed us we couldn't bring our pets."

Uh? Did you ask about the wife? Of course, not. I have to be here to take care of his dog! Luckily, for me my cousin from Indiana has a mother up the street from me. She resides in a mobile home and so he packed up his truck with water and plywood for me and her and is heading my way. I'm not sure he and his mother will be able to get out of Florida once down here, but I'm grateful for the supplies.

Him: "I'll import Indiana water to you."
Me: "Great. Imported Indiana water is my favorite anyway!"

Stay safe peeps. Most likely won't have electric which means no blog, but rest assured I'll keep notes! Love to all!